A Chain that Breaks
by little-godling-stuff
Summary: When Morgana and Morgause had taken hold of Camelot, the king imprisoned and the prince on the run, the Old Religion unleashed a chain of events that alters history forever. When Camelot's soldiers stumbled upon two individuals who claimed themselves to be Colin and Bradley, things begin to complicate. Especially when said strangers bear the face of the prince and his manservant.
1. Chapter 1

_AUTHOR'S NOTE:_

_So, I know I haven't even come close to finishing my other story but I just really want to post this. I can't get it off my head. So, here it is;_

_A companion (or rather, an alternate ending) fic for **ONCE AND FUTURE**. If you want a clearer background on how this started you could read that._

_But I think this could be read without that. LOL._

**_I OWN NOTHING. MERLIN IS THE PROPERTY OF BBC._**

* * *

_"A sword in a stone, a story to unfold;_

_Here to heat what had turned cold;_

_Magic and might together again for destiny's sake;_

_Here to have a chain that breaks."_

**_-A Chain that Breaks_**

* * *

**CHAPTER 1: Legend of History**

It was the dead of night.

Strange echoes as little droplets fell off the cavern ceiling could be heard from the cave they chose to dwell. The Prince of Camelot was, thankfully, reunited with the people, the ones who escaped and fled to the forest. The prince, along with his new knights, the physician, a maidservant and manservant who were much more than what meets the eye were safe and therefore brought hope to the people. It was a stronghold of sorts, a place where they built enough strength for the reclaiming of the kingdom tomorrow.

It would be battle history would certainly remember.

Legends would tell how the brave and valiant Knights of Camelot stood against the formidable immortal army of the High Priestess and her Witch sister. They would reclaim what was lost and take back their home and country, the kingdom under the Once and Future King once more or rather his father.

But first, the tale would have to be made for it to be told.

Soldiers had the cavern and the surrounding area patrolled and guarded. Aside from the fact that they were chased out of their own home and they were fugitives, nothing seemed out of norm.

That was, until a palace guard who escaped along with the citizens came running to find the prince.

"Sire!" the guard said urgently as he found his regent sovereign.

"What is it?" the prince demanded, his brow coming together.

"There's something you need to see." the guard said cryptically after a brief moment of hesitation. The prince followed the guard with a look of vigilance and authority but with the hint of apprehension.

Then, some of the remaining Camelot soldiers met them half way down through the closest thing to a passable corridor their cave could manage and had two men hoisted by the arms, each of them obviously knocked out cold by the way they hung limp in the guards' hold and wore the strangest clothing Arthur has ever seen. One man had a blonde head and wore a black, smooth and what could come close to leather with a red tunic underneath, blue fabric material for trousers and an even stranger pair of boots that stopped just above the ankle with a circular mark on a side of each boot.

The other man had black hair, a light brown jacket made from softer material than the other with pockets at its sleeves, he wore a tunic with multicolored boxes on them, some was white, others were black and red underneath and a red little hood stood out of the jacket. He had the same trousers like the other man but in a deeper shade, almost black and the same boots that stopped above the ankle.

Underneath the dim light of the torches, Arthur saw and felt a sense of familiarity of the men's built. He couldn't place why or who they reminded him of though. A guard stepped forward and yanked, not too hard yet not too gentle either, the raven-haired man's head up for the prince to see.

He blinked and his jaw tensed tight.

Another guard stepped forward, this time by the blonde man's side and yanked his head up, too.

Arthur felt his blood run cold.

The men in the strange clothing had his and his manservant's face.

* * *

"Sire, what shall we do with them?"

Arthur barely registered the question. Out of shock, his mouth moved of its own volition and words flowed out before he could stop them.

"Bring me my servant." he said. "Make sure he's safe."

If the guard was surprised of the command he was given, he didn't show. Then again, it was barely a secret that his manservant was, in fact, his friend. A person would have to be blind not to see the bond between the royal and the peasant was more than the norm shared with the other nobles. Even the king, though begrudgingly, knew the circumstances of his son's friendship with the clumsy peasant boy.

As the guard went to retrieve (yes, _retrieve_, for the man knocked out cold before him could not be _Merlin_) the servant-friend of the prince, Arthur ordered the rest of the soldiers to move the two mysterious men out of sight from the people. They placed them deeper into the cave, where none would dwell too much for fear of losing their way or creatures that might lurk within the dark.

Minutes later, the two men had their hands bound behind their back, they slumped against the cavern wall, passed out as if dead. Arthur sat, stood, paced and sat again in front of the two as he waited for the guard to have Merlin brought to him, seeing for himself that he was safe. Not that Arthur would ever admit that he was worried for the younger man's well-being.

"Arthur," a voice called to him from behind, where they had just passed with their two burdens not twenty minutes ago.

"Where in the world have you been?" Arthur hissed.

He never meant to be hostile. In fact, he was relieved to find the servant unscathed. But those twenty minutes of worrying made him feel silly why he ever bothered to worry about Merlin, of all people.

Merlin was about to retort when Gaius interrupted him.

"Forgive me, sire." Gaius said behind Merlin, his hands clasped together in front of him. "I believe that would be my fault. I needed help with the wounded and the sick. I'm afraid Guinevere alone would make our progress slow judging by the numbers of the patients that needed our attention."

"It's all right," Arthur said, looking slightly reprimanded.

In fact, Merlin really was helping with the wounded albeit absentmindedly as he was actually trying to find a way to sneak out of camp and go to a _certain_ lake where he threw a _certain_ magical sword made specially for a _certain_ pompous, royal _prat_.

But Merlin wasn't about to say that.

He looked at Arthur again with more attention this time. He had his brows furrowed and his shoulders held in a tense pose. His eyes swimming as if he as pondering on something deep. Normally, Merlin would make fun of him breaking his brain from the strain of thinking too hard but not today. Adding the strange yet small relief and a poorly hidden anxiety of the guard that told him that the prince needed him earlier, things were not looking too pretty for him.

"What's wrong, Arthur?" Merlin asked, his brows coming together, sensing the prince's apparent distressed.

Arthur looked at him for a moment with a searching gaze then turned and addressed Gaius instead.

"We have a .. situation that perhaps you'd be able to explain." Arthur said and turned to lead them closer to the two men.

To Arthur's surprise, the raven-haired man (he was _not_ Merlin) was already awake and trailed Arthur's every movement with a calm and controlled gaze with his familiar azure eyes. It hit Arthur with their intensity and as if time moved slow and his heart beat sped faster than the usual. It was an unnerving feeling, to be under this man's gaze which ridiculously felt like Merlin's. Yet he was not Merlin. He could tell.

The idiot was his, God forbid, _best_ friend after all.

He more of felt Merlin's shocked half-step back and Gaius's eyebrow shooting up pass his hairline and decided to leave them to their shock.

"I have a few questions for you." Arthur started taking a small step closer to the raven-haired man whose eyes darted around the small and dim cavern with a calculating yet soft eyes. He looked pass Arthur's shoulder and there was no doubt he'd found his counterpart's eyes.

After what seemed like an eternity, his eyes landed on Arthur again. He gave a small nod for the prince to continue as if Arthur was asking his permission. That brought a wave of annoyance to the prince, breaking the almost tranquil-like aura in the air the moment he found the raven-haired man's eyes open.

"Who are you?" Arthur asked bluntly.

"Uhm.."

"No lies."

The raven-haired man stared him down and that's when he noticed the difference in this man's face to Merlin's. He had stubble on the lower part of his face, his hair wilder and a bit longer, almost touching his eyes. The same azure eyes that held the prince a moment before that resembled so much like a calm ocean, holding depth far deeper than he'd ever seen on anyone. Merlin didn't have that because Merlin was obviously an idiot. But then he'd hate to admit it but those depth did appear on his manservant's eyes when the most bizarre wisdom makes a certain appearance.

"I'm Colin." the raven-haired finally said, bringing Arthur out of his musings. "This is my friend-.. Bradley. And I think we're terribly lost."

"You think?" Arthur heard Merlin murmur from behind him. He inwardly rolled his eyes as he ignored his manservant's comment.

"What sort of conniving plan did Morgause think she would accomplish by having duplicate my face and my servant's?"

"Nothing. We aren't from here. I think we've landed in the past. We're from the future."

Arthur snorted. It sounded so ridiculous it sounded one of Merlin's poor excuses when he lazed around or wanted to go to the tavern. Arthur stopped at that thought and inwardly froze. The man, _Colin_, had nothing in common with his servant-friend.

"You can not fool me! I know sorcery when I see one!"

"You do, don't you? Well, good luck with that, mate."

"How dare you insu-"

"What's going on?"

Arthur looked at the source of the voice, which was the man who lay next to _Colin_ whom _Colin_ named _Bradley_.

"_Bradley_," Colin emphasizing the name, sounding almost exasperated. "I think we're in a bit of in the middle of a delicate situation."

_Bradley_, bless him, had only yelped in surprise once.

Colin gave him a pitiful and exasperated look.

"Wh-what's happening? Why are-.. is this-.. okay, it's weird."

"Strange, indeed." Gaius murmured from the background.

Everyone's eyes landed on him.

"Strange, Gaius?" Arthur asked.

Gaius paused, seeming to hesitate, meeting Merlin's eye for a second. Strange, Gaius never hesitated to give information or shared a look like that with his ward. Not unless it involved magic. _Oh_.

"As you know, sire, before the Great Purge began, I babbled with the arts of magic and your father spared me in the condition that I cut ties with the Old Religion completely."

Arthur nodded.

"But certain ties can not be cut completely."

"_What?_"

Gaius hesitated again. "Once magic flowed, the dam cannot be completely closed. Though I no longer practice magic, it would seem I am still able to feel it shift. Earlier this evening, I felt a wave of a powerful magic. One that not even a High Priestess of the Old religion could hope to imagine much less be able to accomplish. It is possible that the Old Magic is at work at this very moment but for what purpose, I do not know. Destiny has a way of changing and rewriting itself to its liking."

At this, Gaius gave Merlin another look. One that the servant returned. They knew something else but did not intend to share. Arthur wasn't sure what to make of this and catching those looks, he wasn't sure if he should demand from them the truth or having them bound for sorcery. The latter he knew he would never do but the former though..

Arthur nodded and turned back to the two bound men. He would deal with that later. He would play the oblivious prince as he always did when things got too far from reality and when Gaius and Merlin shared the look of _when-things-turn-from-bad-to-ultimate-doom-unless-we-come-up-with-a-brilliant-solution_ which they did. _Twice_.

They'll come up with something to fix this, they always do and he'd be informed only when need be. The details, legal or not, would be consequence enough if it meant security and safety be brought to Camelot. He may not know for sure but Arthur could put two and two enough to realize that Merlin did more for Camelot than serve the Crown Prince breakfast. The hollow and almost haunting looks he would have on his face when he thought no one was looking and the injuries he tries so hard to keep hidden are evidence enough of his clandestine heroic activities. If there was something Arthur knew, it was injuries sustained in battle and the burden of a kingdom to protect.

One day, Arthur would call on Merlin for a debt to be paid and for the truth that is owed. Arthur would tell Merlin that he did notice the difference between the cheeky man's bright smile and the forced and reassuring ones he provide his loved ones.

But not today.

Today, Arthur had a pair of doppelgangers to deal with.

"Is this true?" he addressed his counterpart. Maybe he'll have a better chance of calling out a lie if it was written out on his own face.

"I don't really know much about the magic part but the last I remember was standing in a parking lot with-.. this bloke over here and a girl-"

Bradley stopped short and realization dawned not only to him but also to the person next to him. Both their azure eyes, one like the sky and one like the ocean depth, widened comically.

"Have you found another stranger in the woods?" Colin asked frantically, leaning closer to the prince with his brow furrowed and his jaw tense, his gaze like fire.

"I ask the questions here." Arthur snapped as he glared.

"She's a girl with white blonde hair, about a half a foot shorter than you, and blue eyes?" Bradley asked just as panicked as if the prince never spoke.

"Who are you talking about?" Merlin asked from behind.

Arthur was about to snap at him, too, for encouraging them of demanding.. whatever it was they wanted but there seemed to be a disturbance by the entrance of their little interrogation 'room'.

"Sire," a guard entered and rushed toward the prince. "We've found a girl in the woods. She-.. claims to be traveling with two men." he glanced at the prisoners. "I think she means them."

"Bring her in." Arthur commanded. The guard hastily obliged. Bradley and Colin visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Bring her in!" the guard repeated the command.

"Be still!" another shouted, annoyed.

"Get your bloody hands _off_ me! I'm warning you, I swear I will _kick_ your _arse_, you nasty little-"

A loud grunt could be heard from where the loud voices came from.

Colin winced and smiled sheepishly at the threats as if he approved of them yet he wasn't allowed to be caught doing it. Bradley had no such restrictions. He rolled his eyes and grinned triumphantly as if he was the one who kicked the poor man instead.

They came around a corner and a struggling girl was secured between two guards. She had on a dark blue jacket that suspiciously looked like it was made from the same material as Bradley's black one, a grey tunic underneath and trousers tucked inside her boots that stopped just a few inches below her knees. She had her white blonde curly hair cascading down her back and her lips a little pale against her light tan skin and her eyes a startling azure like Colin's which widened at the sight before her.

"Why-.. Wha-.."

"Yeah, I know. It's weird."

The girl gave Bradley a long look. "Shut up, _Arthur_."

* * *

"_ARTHUR?_" Prince Arthur demanded, scandalized.

"W-well, yes," Colin said. "Arthur _Bradley_."

"And I suppose you're Merlin _Colin_ as well?" Arthur retorted, rather sarcastically.

"He's not." a voice from behind. The girl had a slight look of fear and panic in her eyes and Arthur found himself calming a bit, reining in his temper. She cast a small glance at the prisoners. "He's Colin-.. Morgan. My-.. brother."

She visibly gulped at each pause she made, her eyes darting back and forth from the prince to her _brother_.

Arthur snorted and rolled his eyes. "Yes, and I'm an idiot."

"Uhm, technically-.."

"Shut up, _Mer_lin."

Arthur and Arthur _Bradley_ both said at the same time. They looked at each other and the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes.

"Well, you did call my friend-.. Colin," Arthur _Bradley_ hurried to explain, glancing at Colin who gave a small nod. "here Merlin, didn't you? And seeing as that man behind you look just like him, I just put the puzzle together. His name is Merlin."

Arthur _Bradley_ looked pleased with himself for his witty cover of the slip-up. Colin and the blonde girl on the other hand looked identically exasperated. Even Merlin and Gaius had one on their faces. Prince Arthur wanted to smack his forehead with a satisfying loud pop but only with the unequal willpower of Camelot's greatest knight and future king did he manage to restrain himself from doing so.

Arthur sighed and turned to the guards holding the blonde girl in place.

"Make sure they're guarded and bound. If they try something funny, you inform me immediately. No matter how small it may seem." he told the guards.

Merlin and Gaius headed went ahead to retire themselves to bed, Arthur following their example. But before Arthur had walked out of hearing distance, he heard Colin say, "Are you all right, Gwen?"

Arthur stopped dead in his stride.

Somehow, Arthur found the name quite fitting.

* * *

_NOTES: So, that's for the first. Let me know how it sounds via comments and if I should go on with it._

_I think it's all right, what says you?_


	2. Chapter 2

_"There is a place far, far beyond;_

_A place of liberty with a shiny dawn;_

_'Tis the future, and the pass is the key;_

_To set the flame of heaven free;_

_Where we lie and die in peace;_

_And make history with a puzzle piece."_

_**-History in the Making**_

* * *

**CHAPTER 2: History in the Making**

Arthur _Bradley_ felt oddly irritated.

He wanted to kick _Colin Morgan_ who slumped beside him, eyes closed and breathing steady but far from asleep. Arthur_ Bradley_ knew that the mighty and ancient warlock is now contemplating their new predicament, calculating and planning their next move. Ending up here wasn't in the agenda of their _to-do-list-to-save-all-of-Albion_. But when the hero chase the bad guy, things pretty much end up in the gutter without knowing said bad guy's game plan.

So, yes. Arthur _Bradley_ was very irritated.

But not at his friend and certainly not at their lady companion who slumped on the other side of the warlock. Arthur _Bradley_ could hear her hum quietly as if the lullaby could chase this nightmare away from her sleep. On her fingers, she twirled her talisman round and round, from one hand to the other. The sorceress's reserved power contained inside the tiny cerulean stone embedded in a smooth and beautifully carved wood with tiny runes decorating around the edges of the stone.

The warlock's eyes opened when Arthur _Bradley_ looked back to his friend, suddenly sensing the change in the atmosphere. He seemed to be anticipating something and when he met Arthur _Bradley's_ eyes, they were reassuring and gleamed deviously. Arthur wasn't sure whether to be worried or to be excited at whatever the warlock had in mind but whatever it was, he was pretty sure he'd get dragged into it anyway.

There was a clang outside the cavern entrance where their guards were posted. Then, a dark head poked out of the dim light and hesitantly entered the little cavern. _Colin Morgan's_ eyes glowed a pure gold and lit torches appeared around them, illuminating the entire room. Arthur _Bradley_ and _Gwen Morgan_ identically rolled their eyes and that it looked so alike it was almost comical and sat up straighter, knowing _Colin Morgan_ merely did it to show off.

Merlin flinched visibly in the blatant use of magic even if he was the very embodiment of magic itself. Living in Camelot for nearly three years made him more vigilant when it came to his gifts or anything related to it. He glanced behind him to make sure they were truly alone and focused on the man that had conjured the blazing torches with wary eyes.

"Ignore him." Arthur _Bradley_ said, trying to break the tension. "He likes to show off."

Now, it was _Colin Morgan's_ turn to roll his eyes. "Well, it made sense to do it. Do you really want to spend the whole time talking in the dark? I prefer to see the people I'm conversing with, thank you very much."

"Well, why make a show of it then? After all, I knew you knew he was coming. You had that look in your eyes. Why didn't you do it before he came in? No need to give the man a heart attack when it isn't necessary. Besides it wasn't that dark-.."

"Can we please just get on with it?" _Gwen Morgan_ groaned.

"Oh, sure. Shut me up when it was him who started it."

"Was not."

"Was to."

"Was no-.."

"Who are you?" Merlin asked, slightly irritated yet amused. Is this how he and Arthur looked like when they bickered?

"That's an easy question to answer, Merlin." _Colin Morgan_ said. "I'm you."

Arthur _Bradley_ rolled his eyes and _Gwen Morgan_ groaned slightly beside him. Colin _Morgan_ shot them a look.

"Well, there's no better way to say it, is there?" he turned back to Merlin whose eyes bulged and looked ready to bolt at a moment's notice. "Really Merlin, you.. or I-.. we are the greatest sorcerers to ever live. We have power without equal. Such a thing as time travel would be possible to accomplish with enough practice and power. But that doesn't mean we get to do it often. To travel back and forth in time would alter the time space continuum and it would drain you for a long time."

"You don't look weak." Merlin said, unsure.

"Yes, you would know, would you?" _Colin Morgan_ said with a small smile. "No, I'm not drained. I am in perfect magical and physical condition because it wasn't I who casted the spell."

"But you just said.."

"Yes, that we are able to do it and I have. And _you_ will do many times over in the times to come."

"Who sent you here then if it wasn't you?"

"The Old Religion needed us to come back in time and gladly opened a portal for us. Magic is in uproar and Albion is in danger. It made it easier for our friends in our time to combine their magic and generate enough power to send us back."

"And why did you come back?"

"Because we were chasing a bad guy." It was Arthur _Bradley_ who spoke now. _Colin Morgan_ smiled at his idiom.

"A bad guy?" Merlin asked.

"Yes," Arthur _Bradley_ sighed as if speaking to a child. "Every good story needs a villain."

"And this is a game to you?" _Gwen Morgan_ demanded furiously.

"Gwen," came _Colin Morgan's_ warning. But she pretended not to hear.

"You think this is some silly fairytale that needed a heroic ending?"

"Stop it." _Colin Morgan_ tried again. Arthur _Bradley's_ eyes looked hollow. As if he shut himself off the earth to block out _Gwen Morgan's_ accusing tone.

"Have you forgotten this creature killed your friend and many others from our tribe? Or were their deaths made the story more exciting and fruitful?"

"That's enough, Gwen." _Colin Morgan's_ tone was sharp. _Gwen Morgan_ looked away.

_Colin Morgan_ sighed. "It's best we continue this conversation in the morning since my sister seemed to be far too strained from the travel to keep a cool head and proper decorum. Merlin, I'll appreciate it if you tell no one of this conversation. Maybe Gaius but no one else."

"I'll appreciate that, too." Merlin said, grinning cheekily that uplifted everyone's spirits. Arthur _Bradley_ grunted with a small smile and _Colin Morgan_ gave him a curt nod, a thanks for that one. Even the sour sport _Gwen Morgan_ gave a crack of a smile amidst her stormy expression.

"Best to call me Colin," _Colin Morgan_ continued. "And Arthur to Bradley. Just so we could avoid confusion."

Merlin nodded and started for the cavern entrance where the guards still slumped asleep. He was inches from the entrance when he turned and with an expression that something just occurred to him.

"Judging by your clothes, I'd like to ask." Merlin said. "How far off the future are you?"

Colin's eyes suddenly darkened, like a pool suddenly becoming too deep to see the bottom. He smiled sadly.

"Tomorrow, Merlin."

And with that, the torches disappeared and they were plunged into darkness.

* * *

Morgause strode the palace corridor with determination.

Cenred's night shift guards bowing or planting themselves to the wall to clear her path whenever she passed them by. She paid them no heed. She was in a very happy mood and no amount of bootlicking could spoil it. She marched into the throne room and the sight brought a smile to her face.

"Sister," Morgana greeted from her throne with a gentle and blissful smile of her own.

A woman stood before her, garbed in a long, elegant and ungodly sleeveless red dress, her hair straight and cascaded down her back. When she turned, Morgause smile almost faltered. Her face, stoic and unfeeling, met her shocked and confused one and those familiar green eyes were as cold as ice it sent a shiver down her spine. This wasn't the loving sister and passionate Morgana that Morgause knew. This was something that's dead but managed to walk the earth still.

On the other side of the new queen was a man clad in black yet it was an attire that she had never seen. It was made of soft material that has no equal, not even a king's finery in all of the seven kingdoms. He had a polite smile on his face that Morgause couldn't seem to sneer at like he did with other men. This man had an honest and open baby face that conveyed his entire motive and wasn't ashamed to admit it. Morgause had to respect and admit that she admired such courage. No man had ever shown as much.

"Hullo," he said when her gaze never left him. He extended his hand toward her. "I am Nathan Welch. In my time, they call me the Necromancer."

"Such a promising title." Morgause said, diplomatic and regal and relenting her hand to his. "I am Morgause, High Priestess of the Old Religion."

"Pleasure to be in your acquaintance." He said and kissed the top of her palm politely.

Morgause turned to the cold eyed woman. She still had a hard time referring to her as her sister. Morgana gave an encouraging smile from her throne, sensing her sister's hesitation.

"Hullo, sister." The future Morgana said. "It has been a long time."

Morgause smiled. "So it would seem."

Morgause knew the purpose of these strangers.

They had traveled back in time.

They had landed in the palace court yard, the Necromancer passed out cold and Morgana standing in regal calm and with an icy gaze that fazed even the bravest of their knights. Then again, they were Cenred's knights. Their bravery didn't say much in that respect.

"What brings you here in the past, Morgana?" Morgause inquired. "For such a powerful magic to be done, it had to be important."

"Yes, indeed it is. But I am no longer Morgana." That sent more shivers down Morgause's spine and the Morgana that sat on the throne gave her a bewildered look from behind. "I now call myself Morgan le Fey and my purpose is to stop Albion from coming to be."

Morgause's blood literally ran cold.

"Starting with killing the Once and Future King and the warlock, Emrys."

* * *

"You spoke with _them_?" Arthur demanded, disbelief and irritation coated his tone.

"Yes." Merlin replied.

"Let me make this clear; you spoke with three prisoners who obviously dabbled with magic that had your face and mine and, let's not forget, that they _dabbled with magic_?!"

"You said that twice."

"I don't care, _Mer_lin! They could've tricked you or enchanted you or worse, they could've killed you!"

"Are you admitting that you were worried for me, Arthur?"

"That's not the point, you idiot, and you know it."

Merlin sighed. So much for deflecting the subject. Merlin had decided that he would try convincing Arthur that they were telling the truth but it seemed that plan was going nowhere for him but to another royal scolding.

Arthur, on the other hand, had adamantly refused to be persuaded to change the subject. He would have to admit that it did embarrass him to admit his worry slipped off his tongue before he could stop himself but Arthur had enough. He had lost so much recently and his pride was the last thing on his mind when it came to keeping what he had left safe.

Merlin was one of those people, a wanted addition or not. He came to terms with the fact that his manservant, his friend, was just one of those few people he can't afford to lose and putting himself in harm's way with a reason as stupid as starting a conversation with three magical prisoners was aggravating Arthur's nerves.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Arthur, I'm fine." Merlin said and raised his arms as if he was being inspected. "See? No harm done. They bear no ill will, I can feel it."

"And since when were you an expert on people?" Arthur murmured sarcastically.

"Just trust me on this." Merlin said seriously.

Arthur gave him a long and scrutinizing gaze to search for any doubt or hesitation. When he found none, he sighed again. He strode pass the warlock and headed to the cavern where they kept the three prisoners with Merlin on his heels. Arthur knew that Merlin knew he would put his theory to the test.

When they reached the entrance to the cavern though, he heard muffled voices that sounded close to arguing. When they entered, Colin sighed with his eyes shut tight in annoyance and Bradley was glaring at Gwen who raised her chin up in defiance and gripped her side tightly, little specks of red covered her hand.

"What's going on?" Arthur demanded, eying Gwen's speckled hand.

"The idiot went and got herself injured and mentioned nothing about it!" Bradley ranted, exasperated.

"Did you just call me an idiot?" Gwen spoke up, indignant.

"Enough, all right? Behave. I swear, you two are just a hand-full." Colin snapped.

Merlin sniggered from behind Arthur who found nothing funny about this situation at all.

"How did she sustain the injury?" Arthur asked.

Gwen hesitated. "I guess when I landed I fell on top of a sharp rock" she mumbled.

Arthur stared at her, dumbfounded. "You fell on top of a sharp rock?" he repeated.

"Is there an echo in here?" she mumbled sarcastically and rolled her eyes, her head still downcast, avoiding everyone's incredulous stares.

"And you didn't bother to tell me?" Colin said, angry now. "You were hurt! It's bleeding! Don't you think it's worth telling me?"

"Like I said, I didn't know it was that bad." She waved her other hand in dismissal. "I just thought it was bruised up but then I woke up with blood on my side."

Arthur sighed. _Was Merlin right? Were these strangers really are just in the wrong place at the wrong time?_ he thought. He inwardly scoffed at that statement. Wrong time indeed.

"Merlin, make sure she's bandaged and given a tonic for the pain. Give them a meal as well." Arthur told Merlin while turning and heading out the cavern, glimpsing at Merlin's broad grin on his face. "After that, have my armor polished and ready. We attack in two hours."

"Sire."

He turned at Merlin with a questioning gaze. But Merlin just shook his head and pointed at the people behind him. Colin had sat up straighter and stared straight at him.

"Yes?" Arthur humored the man.

He hesitated then steeled himself with a deep breath. "We didn't come here on accident, Prince Arthur."

Arthur back slowly, standing beside Merlin. "What are you saying?"

"We followed someone here. Someone who is a threat to Albion."

"Who?"

"An old evil." Colin's face looked grim. "We believe she is Morgana Pendragon back from the dead."

Arthur frowned. "But she isn't even dead yet."

"She is from our time, sire. She calls herself Morgan le Fey and mercilessly wrecked havoc all across Albion."

"_How_ was she brought from the dead? _When_ was she brought from the dead?"

"There is a man named Nathan Welch who claims to be a necromancer. In fact, he had done such an amazing feat that he _is_ the Necromancer." Gwen said. "As to when.."

She trailed off and looked at Colin who only sighed. "Merely a thousand and five hundred years from now. Give or take a few decades."

Both Arthur and Merlin's eyes widened.

"A millennium?" Merlin whimpered. "How.."

"So, you are sorcerers." Arthur concluded.

"Yes, I am." Gwen bravely confessed.

"Gwen." Colin hissed and warily eyed Arthur who stood so still he could've been made of stone.

"You've done magic." Arthur said, his face unreadable.

"Of course," Gwen said, her eyes locked with the Prince's. "How else do you think we keep Albion safe if not by magic? It's how it's been for thousands of years."

Her tone implied sarcasm on that last statement, Arthur was sure of it. Now, he was really angry with Merlin. What was he thinking talking to magic users?

"That's a lie." Arthur told her. "Magic is evil and devours all goodness in the world."

Bradley looked at him funny, as if he couldn't believe those words had just slipped off the Prince's tongue or the fact that it seemed so unbelievable to him and Colin just looked at him with pity. Gwen's look was another story entirely.

She scoffed and winced when she moved. Merlin moved and he was right beside her in a second like it was _his_ sister that was injured. Arthur yanked him by the back of his jacket, away from the sorceress.

"Arthur-.."

"They are _magic_ users, _Mer_lin!" he retorted. "How can you be so naïve?! You are such an idiot! She could've killed you! What were you thinking?"

"Forgive me, sire." Merlin said, his eyes serious, almost deep and unfathomable. Arthur was taken aback. Merlin rarely paid him the respect he was due and he certainly did not expect a show of such fierce passion it was almost close to anger.

"But I fail to see what an injured and bound teenager could do to me. Magical or not, I have done no wrong towards her. Courtesy decrees that she pays me that mutual respect as well."

He bowed slightly and went back to Gwen's side whose eyes were wide and filled with admiration. Arthur watched him numbly. What had he said to cause Merlin to act so drastically? He had always teased Merlin to be such a girl but they both knew Merlin was anything but that. He was brave, self-sacrificing, stubborn and loyal to a fault he could almost be a knight. Merlin had always been head-strong and, God forbid, wise. Arthur had to wonder where those goddamn brains of his now when he decided to befriend a witch?

Arthur never took his eyes off Merlin as the younger man took his neckerchief and placed it above the wound, applying pressure to suppress or lessen the flow of blood oozing out of it. So, naturally, he missed the looks on both Bradley and Colin's faces. Bradley had a small smile tugging on his lips and the proud look on his eyes, raising his chin high to show his full support of Merlin's actions as if it was the most heroic thing he had ever seen. Colin simply had an amused, fond smile on his lips, his eyes dancing in reminisce.

"Thank you, Merlin." Gwen told him as he tended to her wound, her eyes almost wet as a smile slowly appeared like the sun chasing the night away. "The world will remember a kind man like you. As a matter of fact, it does and it will."

Merlin smiled back though a bit sad and nodded in gratitude of her praise. Arthur opened his mouth and was about to ask what she meant by that when Gaius strode in and greeted him from behind.

"Sire." Arthur turned toward the old man and saw him incline his head for a little bow. Gaius took immediate notice of his ward next to Gwen, tending to her wound.

"What happened?" he asked.

"She fell off a sharp rock." Bradley wryly told him and Gaius raised his famous eyebrow.

Colin snickered at that and beamed at the physician as Gaius advanced toward Merlin and knelt on the other side of Gwen. He took out his medical bag, one he brought with him anywhere if he tended to his patients which are almost everywhere you look. You can't be too careful within the cave and add to that the injuries sustained from the battle.

Gwen smiled softly at the physician and removed her hand from the wound, as did Merlin, when Gaius inspected the damage. In under half an hour, the wound was bandaged, cleaned and sorted along with the right tonics to ease the pain of the bruising and prescribed the rebellious girl to rest; all under Arthur Pendragon's watchful eye.

When Gaius and Merlin stood from either side of the girl, they looked at Arthur, awaiting his decision or daring him somehow. Arthur couldn't be sure which. But from their slightly tense posture, keeping the girl out of his line of sight suggested that they were protecting her.

_Protecting a_ _sorceress._ Only Gaius and Merlin.

Arthur shook his head slightly and sighed.

"They'll be your responsibility, Merlin." Arthur told him. "If you trust them."

"I do."

"If they take one step out of line, no matter how little," Arthur continued with unfathomable eyes. "Know that it would be on your head."

With that, the Crown Prince of Camelot walked away.

* * *

_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_

_so yeah, that's for chapter 2. hahaha. now, I think I'm going to have to work on the Once and Future for a while because I lost the file and its really hard to retrieve all those lost ideas and just-.. sigh. I'll try to write this as much as I can though. I've been thinking of maybe finishing this first before the O&F. But yeah.. Depends on stuff. I've got school and all. Busy._

_Let me know what you think of this via comment or something._

**_MERLIN IS THE PROPERTY OF BBC._**


	3. Chapter 3

_"And so, the story untold finally unfolds;_

_Of a king that ruled with the core of his soul;_

_His heart and his fist in a crown and a throne;_

_And the new, crystal age finally born;_

_Everything changes from this day forth;_

_The dawn in the horizon out far North."_

_**-Out Far North**_

* * *

Arthur was outside the cave, sitting on a fallen tree and stared at nothing under the sinking sun.

He had his hands clasped together in front of him and they touched his lip gently, a picture of a troubled man.

They had canceled the attack, Colin providing them with information they can't just ignore. The news of why exactly they ended up where they are now. Plus, this was backed up by their spy, returning from their scout of the palace, rumors passed from servant to servant to undercover guardsmen that was left in the citadel, forced into the new monarch's employment with the penalty of death hanging over their heads but brave enough to risk their lives for every little information they could feed their prince that might help take back Camelot. The spies confirmed that there were actually two _Morganas_ walking around the palace, an unknown man that was dressed in fancy black clothes who could only be the Necromancer, along with the news of the king still alive and imprisoned in the dungeons beneath his own castle.

For how long? They weren't sure.

In the war council, the remaining nobles and knights, along with the new ones that Arthur had knighted, decided that they needed to move into a more open ground. The cave was beginning to be too conspicuous for hiding and Morgana's patrols have already scouted too close to the area for comfort with the fact that it was getting too damp inside the cave as the winter approaches, getting a lot more colder so as giving people colds and runny noses and random animal cave dwellers popping up at random parts of the cavern getting more of their people injured.

After the meeting was concluded, Arthur had the three time travelers begrudgingly introduced to the people on Merlin's insistence that they needed to move around for necessity reasons and for the people to get used to and be informed that they have the consent of their prince to be here. The people gave the three time travelers strange, wary and curious looks and Arthur had to give a brief and limited information of their origin, intentionally leaving out the part the girl was actually a sorceress.

His head throbbed of the mountain-pile problems he has.

Arthur sighed.

Merlin was one of those problems.

The younger man would be the death of him someday. He never meant to be cold but as much as he was a friend he was also the Crown Prince of Camelot and was expected to do what will always be best for Camelot and its people. If Merlin had manage to put his faith on the wrong people, he would be in danger not only with the enemy but also by Camelot's laws by association. His hands were tied.

Then came those thoughts of how Merlin got his way in the first place.

If it was any other day, Arthur would give his best authoritative and regal tone to shut the manservant up and Merlin would stop and let it go. But for some reason, Merlin had managed to convince Arthur to trust a known magic user, vouching for her and a release of the three prisoners, putting any of their future knowledge to good use. Aside for magic, of course. But there was also the fact that Merlin is a good judge of character and sees more than he lets on. Lancelot and Gwaine are proof enough of how his manservant could pick the most random people and see right through their heart like glass. Arthur would be begrudge to admit that Morgana and he himself are also a good example of the younger man's sixth sense for personality. The sad calculating glares Merlin sent Morgana and the lady's smug and hateful glares she returned to the manservant now made sense.

Merlin knew from the beginning.

He _always_ somehow knew.

And there was the fact that he _believed_ in Arthur.

Merlin believed that he would be a good- no,the _greatest_ king Camelot will ever see. Arthur didn't know why the younger man believed the things he did or what he saw in the prince to warrant such loyalty and faith that Arthur thought was unworthy of him. He only bullied his manservant. Why would he think—_know- _that Arthur would be a great king when he treated his friend so horribly? Yes, _friend_. Because status and pride be damned, Merlin _is _his friend.

Then, there it was.

His faith in Merlin as a friend made Arthur believe that he might be right about those three strangers. Arthur saw it for himself. Merlin had completely melted like they were some unicorn to be petted. Arthur even came to one conclusion that maybe he trusted the trio as well. But that was ridiculous. He didn't even know them. Plus, they were involved in magic. They can't be guaranteed to be trusted. But for some reason that he can't quite put his finger on that there was something about them that just compelled him to bargain into a blind faith.

Especially with Colin.

The man, he discovered, had more in common with Merlin than he'd like to admit. The way those azure eyes would practically glow with wisdom whenever he spoke and the way he had that insolence in him to contradict the nobles during the council. Witty comments, chiding tone, gestures and stares and neatly veiled insults directed to some of the war council members' stupid suggestions and opinions. Arthur was actually impressed and quite amused. Merlin had his moments with that bizarre wisdom as well though not always and he was practically insolent albeit hidden to almost every noble except with the king.

Bradley and Arthur had some things in common as well, the way he walked, talked and even when he smiled and laugh it looked and sounded so alike though his counterpart spends the better part of his day bantering with Gwen, which also made the people callGuinevere by her full name. Gwen and Colin had been helping with the wounded ever since the meeting ended late morning, teaching Gaius how they did it in the future in far more effective ways and Bradley trailed them like a puppy as if he was afraid to be left alone. But then Arthur discovered he was only trailing _Gwen_ like a puppy. Arthur knew what that felt like and it was horrifying and painfully obvious why he does it. Arthur felt like he should trail Guinevere like a puppy as well but sadly, princes don't trail maidservants like an idiot.

Whenever Gwen was out of Bradley's sight or was too preoccupied to hold a banter, he'd go and converse with knights or commoners, wounded or anyone he found interesting to chat for that matter, even giving the infirmary a hand or the soldiers a spar with hand-to-hand combat. He seemed to be good at that and Colin glanced him from afar, looking like a proud father and friend beside a very sober looking Merlin, his shoulders slumped and in his eyes was a well-concealed sadness and pain as he conversed with his counterpart. He met Arthur's eyes and the prince saw that rare but not unheard of look on his manservant's azure eyes; _depth_.

That was the last thing Arthur saw when he decided he needed some air and came out here to think.

But the matter of why Arthur couldn't shake the feeling deep in his core why these strangers seem very trustworthy and familiar still remain. No matter how much he reasoned and argued with himself that magic was involved and magic will always be evil, he'd come back and let his heart take the lead and trust them anyway. Maybe he should ask Gaius if Gwen had somehow enchanted him. But he'd been enchanted so many times he actually knew the difference now so he doubted it.

This was all him and his decision alone.

He heard twigs snapping as someone approached him from behind. Arthur had to smirk. Who else could be so loud in the middle of a forest?

"Arthur," Merlin greeted.

"What?"

"Nothing. They were looking for you."

Arthur nodded and glanced at his manservant. He had a sad look on his face and his brow furrowed as if solving how to reclaim a kingdom. Arthur would know. He was going through it himself.

"You all right?" Arthur inquired. Merlin looked up at him, dazed. Arthur bit his tongue. Now, he sounded as if he cared. He cleared his throat. "You look like you were forced to kick a puppy."

"Maybe I did."

"What was that?"

"I said may I sit." Merlin said a little louder.

"Since when had you asked permission for anything?" Arthur said dryly.

"Well, you are royalty. Even if you are a prat."

Arthur clipped Merlin upside the head and they chuckled good-naturedly.

"But really," Arthur said refusing to let it go. Manly and princely bravado be damned. "I know you too well, Merlin. You look less cheeky than usual. Not that I'm complaining but I find it rather oddly disturbing whenever you actually shut up. So, humor me. What's wrong?"

Merlin shook his head. "Nothing, really. Just some things Colin told me about the future." In fact, that was the most honest answer Merlin could ever give Arthur but utterly far from the truth.

"Yeah? What did he say?"

Merlin shrugged though clearly it was far from nothing.

"Just some a few random things. How they have these machines that could fly without the use of magic." Arthur raised his brow. "Or how they could talk miles from each other with little boxes or how they could paint a picture in less than a minute."

Arthur gave an impressed whistle. "That sounds very surreal."

"Yet to them it seems normal. It seemed.. not enough. I heard how the world would be and not all of it sounded pleasant. Weapons that could obliterate an entire city, crossbows that could fire a hundred little miniature metal arrows in one pull, tonics that could destroy the mind."

Arthur frowned. "Sorcery." he hissed.

Merlin shook his head.

"People there no longer believe in magic, Arthur. They built it all through science. What's left of magic had tried its hardest to stop the world from falling apart."

"You can't be sure if they're telling the truth. I mean, Gwen Morgan _is_ a witch. They could have tricked you into believing."

But even Arthur himself didn't believe his words and he knew his manservant wouldn't either.

"Maybe, maybe not." Merlin took a moment before saying. "He said that by coming here, they had changed and altered the past. They knew the outcome, we would win but, now.."

Merlin trailed off and Arthur looked at him, urging him to continue.

"Now, the future is uncertain."

The prince looked away, absorbing the new information they had just gained. So, they would win back Camelot. Easier said than done.

"Well, we make our own destiny, Merlin." Arthur said solemnly and Merlin gave a humorless laugh. Arthur gave Merlin a pat on the shoulder. "Stop being such a girl, Merlin. Remember that we move tomorrow at first light so pack up. Don't worry about the future anymore. It's a long way from now. What matters is what's in front of you, not ahead."

Arthur stood. "'Sides, we'd be long dead by then."

Then he walked away, heading back to the cave.

"That's where you're wrong." Merlin murmured when Arthur was far enough not to overhear and watched as the sun completely set, the events that afternoon, playing in his head.

* * *

_Merlin was crushing herbs and mixing potions in the part of the cave that they made into an infirmary when Gwaine and Lancelot found him. The war council had just finished along with Arthur announcing the arrival of the strange travelers and the two new knights immediately sought out their friend to discuss the trio._

_Most especially, his counterpart, Colin._

"_He looks exactly like you." Gwaine said. "But.. older and a lot more graceful."_

_Merlin had to bite his lower lip to keep himself from laughing because of how true that was. Though he wasn't so sure with the graceful part. Lancelot gave him a sidelong glance and Merlin met it with a mischievous glint in his eye. That was enough for Lancelot to confirm that magic and _Merlin_ himself was involved in this. He just had to wait it out to ask what it was._

_Colin and Gwen arrived shortly after Gwaine and Lancelot, trailed by a frowning Bradley. Colin approached Gaius who just smiled and directed them whom to accommodate with their assistance. Colin saw Merlin, Gwaine and Lancelot looking and they gave polite nods then returned to their conversation._

"_Where did they come from anyway?" Lancelot wondered aloud._

"_They say it's in the future. I tried to ask how far off judging by their clothes but Colin wouldn't say." Merlin shrugged. He glanced at the trio again, Gwen in her still bloody shirt but without her jacket, Colin in a strange red jacket with a little hood that had the word 'Lacrosse' in the middle of his chest and Bradley with his red shirt._

_All three of them covered in dirt and grime. Merlin made a mental note to give them clothes to change into later._

"_You spoke with them?" Gwaine asked, impressed._

"_Last night." Merlin answered with a nonchalant shrug._

"_Did they tell you about the future?"_

"_No."_

"_How come they're dressed that way?"_

"_I don't know."_

"_How did you come across them anyway?"_

_Merlin felt a little nervous by Gwaine's interrogation. He was asking too many questions. "I was .. curious."_

_Gwaine let out a loud guffaw that attracted a lot of attention. Merlin shushed him and Lancelot gave Merlin a nervous look. Their friend's inquiry had him on edge as well._

"_Only you, my friend, could be curious of magic users."_

_Merlin stiffened. He looked around frantically to make sure no one had heard. Lancelot gave Gwaine a chastise look. Gwaine held his hands up in surrender._

He's smarter than he let on_. Merlin heard in his head. For a moment he thought he had thought it but his eyes met Colin's briefly and knew that his future-self had just spoken in his head. Merlin cannot begin to fathom how on earth he heard them talking all the way from where he was, on the other side of the cavern, tending to a wounded. He turned back to Gwaine. He'll have to ask later._

"_How'd you-" Merlin whispered and Gwaine caught on._

"_I figured it out." He said shrugging, whispering as well. Both Lancelot and Merlin gave him looks that he needed to elaborate exactly how he _figured_ it out._

"_Come on," Gwaine said. "People from the future? Traveling through time? What kind of power could be capable of doing that?"_

_Merlin was actually impressed that Gwaine caught on so fast. But still, no matter how brilliant his friend is, he needed to discourage him._

"_You can't know that. They're from the future. There could be a number of ways."_

"_You _can't_ know that either, mate." Gwaine countered._

"_Why not just ask?"_

_They all turned at the voice and saw Colin standing there with a hint of amusement in his face. Gwaine recovered first, ever the buoyant knight._

"_So, how did you?" Gwaine boldly asked._

"_Gwaine," Lancelot warned._

"_No, it's all right." Colin said. "He's right."_

_Lancelot and Merlin gaped at him in horror while Gwaine looked like a school boy who had just been given a star for a job well done._

"_Told you so." He gloated._

"_I'd appreciate it if you told no one. I have the feeling that your prince do not take kindly to magic users. After all, we did have history records and it told us of the penalty of using magic." Colin said in a low voice so no one would over hear._

"_Your secret's safe with us, isn't that right Lancelot?" Gwaine said it as if Lancelot didn't agree he would regret it. Badly._

"_Of course." Lancelot said without skipping a beat._

"_That's our Sir Lancelot," Gwaine said with a grin. "Ever noble and ever brave."_

_They heard an obnoxious laugh from somewhere to their left and they turned to see Bradley chatting with some knights and commoners alike while Gwen was rolling her eyes beside him but had a small smile on her face while attending a patient. Guinevere just shared a look with Merlin who stood directly across him a couple of meters away and he understood. He too was reminded of someone who he most preferably called as the royal prat._

"_Might I have a word, Merlin?"_

_Merlin looked back to Colin who looked at him expectantly. Lancelot and Gwaine both nodded at the two warlocks and went on their way, giving them their privacy._

"_What is it?" Merlin asked._

_Then, silence._

_Merlin looked around at what caused the hectic chaos to stop. It seemed that everyone apart from himself and Colin in front of him ceased all movements. As if time itself had stopped its ticking._

"_The future." Colin simply said and offered a hand._

_Merlin knew what the other man was offering. The future, indeed, lay on his palm, like the Crystal cave had been. He knew the consequences of knowing the future, of how one mistake could alter everything. He hesitated._

"_It's alright." Merlin looked up to Colin's face. All that sadness, that burden, that heartache, that loss, that loneliness, that strength, that wisdom and depth laid bare for him to see. It should frighten him even more so but all he felt was understanding. Even more scary, he accepted it as his fate._

"_It'll all be alright in the end." Colin sooth._

_Merlin nodded slowly and he placed his hand on top of his future self's and he was plunged down into oblivion, the future flying pass by behind his close lids._

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

****** treyrina: i hope i got to explain why Arthur acted the way he did ********and i hope this gives you a little more closure and you like it ;))**

******Merlocked18: well, there's a lot more to juggle on the other later chapters. trust me. XD**

**so, yeah. i got caught up with a lot of stuff and loads of things to write. gods.** **guys, if you're somehow confused on how this story even started, that's entirely my fault. ****Because, this is actually a part II of another fanfic. And i still have to get on that.**

**Anyway, just thought i'd let you know i'll be actively writing this again.**

**so. yeah. comment or somthing. ****til the next, mates.**

******_MERLIN IS THE PROPERTY OF BBC._**


End file.
